


Coda to 'Visited Upon The Son'

by Shamelessly_Radiant



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Coda, Episode: s02e08 The Sins Of The Father, Inspired by Fanfiction, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-24 17:00:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21821329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shamelessly_Radiant/pseuds/Shamelessly_Radiant
Summary: Merlin's magic is smarter than it looks.A kind-of sequel to Visited Upon The Son, because that fic was amazing and didn't want to leave me alone.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 139





	Coda to 'Visited Upon The Son'

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fiercynn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fiercynn/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Visited Upon The Son](https://archiveofourown.org/works/106999) by [fiercynn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fiercynn/pseuds/fiercynn). 



> You kind of have to read the other fic to understand this one, but basically, when Arthur is about to kill Uther, Merlin doesn't lie to him, but instead magics them away to the woods for Arthur to calm down, prompting conservations, confessions of love, and sexy times. It's an amazing fic, and you should all read it.
> 
> Also- I have no inspiration for the title.

_Arthur turned back to his father, ready to strike, and that was when Merlin's magic acted instinctively for him._

_There was a burst of blinding light, and everything swirled around them, whipping past Merlin's face. As his magic spilled out of him, the throne room disappeared until Merlin could see nothing but flashing colors and feel nothing but the wind, all his anger and pain and desperation flooding through his body like a poison, and the bile was rising up in his throat as the wind came to an abrupt stop –_

_– and he fell to the ground._

* * *

On the walk back to Camelot, they are silent. But as the castle comes into view, Arthur tenses and stops.

“Merlin,” he says, “you did magic in front of my father. You magicked us away from the throne room while my sword was pressed to his throat. You cannot return with me, it isn’t safe.”

“Er,” says Merlin, “I wouldn’t worry about that sire,” because he has picked up the unnatural stillness in the atmosphere, the way the world has started to dim as they approach Camelot. There is not a single leaf that is rustling in the wind, not a single squirrel squirrelling around, not a single bird singing. It wouldn’t be eerie if it wasn’t covered by the golden shine of his magic, making the atmosphere seem easy rather than unnatural.

Arthur stares at him.

Merlin waves a hand around. “It’s, ah, difficult to explain, but my magic there was instinctive. So everything should work out, really.”

“Yes. Because when has everything gone completely as planned before?”

“Let’s check it out, first, okay?”

“I don’t want you to get killed, Merlin.”

“I won’t, Arthur. If worse comes to worse, I’ll pull a disappearing act again.”

“You said you did it instinctively.”

“Er. Yes, but—”

“And you were so exhausted you fell asleep afterwards.”

“I know, but—”

“And you didn’t even know how to take down the barriers—”

“Yes, but—”

“You are the worst sorcerer ever.”

Merlin fixes him with a glare, grabs his hand and _tugs._ “But. _Look_ ,” he says, gesturing around them, and Arthur goes still. Because they are suddenly in the throne room again, where everything, time itself, is frozen. Uther is still pressed against the throne, fear on his face, unbreathing, unblinking, seemingly a statue. Leon, hand outstretched, and Gaius are standing next to the table, in the same state. All Arthur and Merlin have to do is take up their previous positions and pretend nothing happened in the meantime. Pretend nothing changed, while it feels like they have been miles and miles away from this moment, like they had left this world behind.

Arthur makes a strangled noise and doesn’t let go of Merlin’s hand. “You stopped time,” he says, very faintly.

Merlin just, kind of, shrugs.

“How powerful are you, exactly?”

“… I don’t really know.”

“Right.”

A beat.

“Well. What am I supposed to do, now?”

“Don’t kill him,” Merlin suggests, again, and Arthur hives him a flat glare without heat. “Yes, _Mer_ lin, we had already established that. I mean, right now.”

“Oh, well. I’ll lift the spell, you’ll drop your sword, and we’ll go from there?”

Arthur nods, lifting his sword and stepping towards Uther.

“And we’ll change the world,” he says firmly.

“And we’ll change the world,” Merlin echoes, and drops the spell.


End file.
